Jerusalem, Jan 17, 2020 / 18:01 pm
Following a trip to the Holy Land, a group of bishops from the United States and Europe called on their countries' governments to acknowledge the state of Palestine and to apply international law in Israel and the surrounding area in order to promote peace and justice.
"We are inspired by their enduring resilience and faith in a worsening situation," the bishops said of those who live in the Holy Land in a Jan. 16 statement.
The bishops added that the Catholic bishops of the Holy Land have "lamented the international community's failure to help realize justice and peace here in the place of Christ's birth. Our governments must do more to meet their responsibilities for upholding international law and protecting human dignity. In some cases they have become actively complicit in the evils of conflict and occupation."
The bishops are part of the Holy Land Coordination group, which was founded by the Catholic Bishop's Conference of England and Wales and is comprised of bishops from the U.S. and Europe. Besides their annual trip to the Holy Land, the group promotes awareness, action, and prayer for the region.